One of the things that was talked about the most when Governor Corbett announced his lawsuit against the NCAA Wednesday was why now?
When asked why now, Corbett listed two reasons. Neither of those was the change in the state's chief legal officer in less than two weeks.
“Not getting into politics, I'm doing this because it's the right thing to do,” Corbett explained.
Announcing the lawsuit against the NCAA Wednesday, Corbett said politics should be kept out of it.
Typically, the state’s attorney general would handle cases like this, not the Governor’s Office. However, the Associated Press is reporting that Attorney General Linda Kelly granted Governor Corbett the authority to file a federal antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA because her office is currently prosecuting three Penn State administrators.
Attorney General Linda Kelly told The Associated Press on Thursday that "an actual conflict of interest could, and likely would, arise if this office were involved in both cases."
Kelly says the "size and scope" of the criminal cases "made it untenable" for the state prosecutors' office to also be involved in the civil lawsuit.
Kelly says her office got the request from Corbett on December 14 and granted it a few days later. Corbett nominated Kelly to succeed him as attorney general two years ago, when Corbett became governor.
Former Attorney General Walter Cohen points out that delegation like this aren't unheard of.
“It's interesting, but not unprecedented and in fact when Ed Rendell was Governor, he sought in some major litigation delegation and in fact Attorney General Corbett gave it to him,” explained Cohen.
What makes this different is that the lawsuit was announced less than two weeks before Kathleen Kane takes over as Attorney General.
Corbett says the state constitution will prevent her from halting his involvement.
Kane ran on the campaign promise of investigating Corbett's handling and investigation of Sandusky while he was AG.
Whatever the motivation, Cohen says at the end of the day that’s not what is decided in a court room.
“Just because there are political reasons doesn't make it bad policy,” Cohen concluded.
Many are anxious to see how this case plays out in court.
When asked why now, Corbett listed two reasons. Neither of those was the change in the state's chief legal officer in less than two weeks.
“Not getting into politics, I'm doing this because it's the right thing to do,” Corbett explained.
Announcing the lawsuit against the NCAA Wednesday, Corbett said politics should be kept out of it.
Typically, the state’s attorney general would handle cases like this, not the Governor’s Office. However, the Associated Press is reporting that Attorney General Linda Kelly granted Governor Corbett the authority to file a federal antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA because her office is currently prosecuting three Penn State administrators.
Attorney General Linda Kelly told The Associated Press on Thursday that "an actual conflict of interest could, and likely would, arise if this office were involved in both cases."
Kelly says the "size and scope" of the criminal cases "made it untenable" for the state prosecutors' office to also be involved in the civil lawsuit.
Kelly says her office got the request from Corbett on December 14 and granted it a few days later. Corbett nominated Kelly to succeed him as attorney general two years ago, when Corbett became governor.
Former Attorney General Walter Cohen points out that delegation like this aren't unheard of.
“It's interesting, but not unprecedented and in fact when Ed Rendell was Governor, he sought in some major litigation delegation and in fact Attorney General Corbett gave it to him,” explained Cohen.
What makes this different is that the lawsuit was announced less than two weeks before Kathleen Kane takes over as Attorney General.
Corbett says the state constitution will prevent her from halting his involvement.
Kane ran on the campaign promise of investigating Corbett's handling and investigation of Sandusky while he was AG.
Whatever the motivation, Cohen says at the end of the day that’s not what is decided in a court room.
“Just because there are political reasons doesn't make it bad policy,” Cohen concluded.
Many are anxious to see how this case plays out in court.